Chapter 16 - Zoe
Reaching the takeout truck was a relief after spending the whole afternoon shopping, and luckily, the two of us were on the same page.
Before long, we placed our order and waited for the food, surprised by how easily we seemed to pass the time.
Even more surprisingly, I didn't have it in me to deny how much better the day went than I expected.
I feared it would end in a complete disaster, seeing as we could hardly get through most things without bickering. Yet, we both proved me wrong.
Everything went smoothly while we shopped, and Ezra was surprisingly agreeable. Almost like he used to be before when everything came so easily for us.
For a moment, I saw a glimpse of what we used to have and of the man I had fallen for so quickly.
Of course, I didn't want to get ahead of myself again, but it was nice to see him less confrontational.
The mood was lighter, especially as we brought our food over to one of the picnic tables and sat down together.
It was nice not to feel quite so guarded, and even if he didn't say it, I could tell Ezra was feeling the same way.
Before, I told myself I'd never let myself fall for him again. That I'd never even open myself up to that possibility. I wanted to keep him locked out forever, all to spare myself that pain again.
But as we spent our day together, I was slipping and becoming more curious about not only him but our connection as well. Despite wanting to be guarded for my safety, I was well aware of the bond between us and how it wouldn't go away unless we decided to reject it.
With at least some shame, given what happened the last time I made myself available for him, I couldn't help but wonder what we could become.
There was no mistaking how different the connection felt the second time around. It was almost like it purposely made itself strong to resist being broken again. In a way, the idea of ignoring the bond made my stomach drop, and a sense of melancholy came with it.
Even if a part of me was already resisting it, the thought of cutting it off completely was painful. Given how badly I had always wanted a mate bond of my own, it would feel like a shame to get rid of it.
While we ate, a gentle silence settled between us, and I found myself mostly lost in thought until his voice broke up the silence.
"You know," Ezra began, aimlessly moving his fries around before he glanced up at me. "I'm sorry about the whole fiancée thing. I know it wasn't very fair of me to rope you into it...and you probably felt pressured to agree to it in the first place."
While he wasn't entirely wrong, I dismissed him with a small wave of my hand. I didn't want to sour the mood by admitting how angry I had been about it.
But in all fairness, if he never did it, I wouldn't have found myself sharing this surprisingly pleasant day with him. And our bond would've remained long buried.
Regardless of my conflicting feelings about our connection, there was still something nice about it. Something comforting that I found myself not wanting to let go of.
After seeing him in a better light, I liked the idea of resisting him less and less.
"It's fine, really," I said, not wanting to spoil anything. "It's been...odd, but fine."
Ezra nodded to himself, seemingly hesitant about talking properly about the situation.
Even if we were both aware that something huge changed between us after we had sex, it seemed neither of us wanted to address it head-on.
Still, even if he accepted my answer, something else lingered in his eyes while he looked off for a moment—another thought he had yet to voice.
I contemplated just letting it go, but at that moment, I felt it would do us both some good if we didn't tip-toe around everything.
I softened slightly, not wanting to seem demanding. "What is it?"
at my prompting, Ezra came back to the present and sighed, then rested a palm against his cheek, elbow propped on the table.
"It's my parents...they're still adamant about the Nora thing. They confronted me about it yesterday and demanded I follow through with the promise they made for me," he explained, running a hand through his dark hair, looking genuinely bothered by it. "We might have to step things up a notch to convince them. But again, I don't want to keep dragging you through that."
For a moment, I almost thought he might be considering listening to them. He seemed exhausted by it, as if he were moments away from saying to hell with it and giving in.
Even hearing about it struck me with a sudden pang of jealousy I didn't think I possessed. The thought of him giving up and being pressured into accepting Nora irritated me, but I was quick to keep that reaction to myself.
It was odd and uncomfortable for me to feel that way since I promised myself I'd never care about Ezra again.
Even with that flicker of doubt in my mind, questioning if Ezra would eventually give in, I knew it was a ridiculous thought. He had been deadset against it in the first place, which was why he wanted my help.
Putting myself at ease with that reminder, I let myself consider what he said.
Despite knowing I shouldn’t get too involved, I let go of a breath and murmured, "We should meet up with them then."
Ezra's brows furrowed as he looked at me, seeming surprised to even hear me suggest it. "What?"
Vaguely amused by his shock, I continued, "They've only seen us together once, right? Maybe if we sit down with your parents and seem convincing enough, they'll finally see that you're serious and get off your back."
He blinked back at me as if still coming to terms with it. It wasn't a negative reaction by any means, but he was trying to process how I could still want to have anything to do with it.
"You're serious?"
I hummed and nodded. "Sure, we might as well."
As traces of his bewilderment lingered in his features, Ezra let go of a breath and chuckled, nodding. "As much as I don't love the idea of being around my parents for that long, if it helps and you're alright with it, then maybe it's worth the shot."
Managing a small smile from him, I sipped from my drink and watched as the gears seemed to turn in his head.
"Damn...all right. I'll let them know," he began, nodding to himself as those pieces clicked, and he seemed more convinced of it himself. Lifting his gaze, he looked at me again and grinned. "Thanks, by the way. You don't have to do this, but I appreciate it."
Annoyingly, I couldn't shake how charming his smile seemed then. And even more annoyingly, my heart warmed at how grateful he seemed about my offer and willingness to keep up the ruse.
I smiled in return. "It's no problem. If it means getting them to leave you alone, then I'm sure it'll be worth it."
Regardless of how stoic he usually seemed, Ezra's appeased expression seemed far too genuine for him to be faking, and in a sense, it already felt worth it deep down.